TEENAGER CHARGED IN FATAL SHOOTING

Hartford police arrested a teenager Wednesday and charged him with murder in the shooting death of a Manchester youth during a road-rage incident last month in the heart of downtown.

James Manson, 18, of Sheldon Street in Hartford, was behind bars Wednesday, the prime suspect in the March 21 shooting death of 16-year-old Tracenton Cook.

Manson was captured at a house on West Raymond Street in Hartford's North End by officers from the Hartford Police Department's fugitive task force, state probation officers and Manchester police, police said.

He is expected to be arraigned today in Superior Court in Hartford.

Police said the killing happened shortly after 11 p.m. March 21.

The victim was a back-seat passenger in a car traveling south on Main Street and had stopped for a red light at Trumbull Street.

A car driven by Manson pulled up behind, police said. When the light turned green, police believe, Manson became angry because he didn't think the car carrying Cook had accelerated fast enough.

Both cars continued south, and at Main and Gold streets, Manson fired several shots. Cook was struck and was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later at Hartford Hospital.

Manson also faces charges of criminal use of a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, weapons in a motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license, according to Nancy Mulroy, Hartford police spokeswoman.